Did you know that deer have existed on our planet for 34 million years? This large family of herbivorous mammals began its long biological evolution in the Oligocene, currently having up to 48 different species grouped into 20 taxonomic genera.
Protagonists of many of the most amazing animal migrations that we can see in videos and documentaries, deer fill numerous and diverse habitats on the planet with life. If you want to get to know them more closely, continue reading this article on our site where you will discover surprising details about deer, such as their characteristics and main habitats. In addition, you will learn about the types of deer or deer, roe deer and elk that exist. - types, characteristics and habitats.
Taxonomic classification of cervids
Commonly known as cervids, the family Cervidae falls within the following taxonomic classification, according to the criteria established by the prestigious classification from the Mammal Species of the World Taxonomic List:
- Kingdom: animals.
- Phylum: chordates.
- Class: mammals.
- Order: artiodactyls.
- Suborder: ruminants.
- Family: cervids.
Now that we have located the cervids taxonomically, let's discover more details about the characteristics, types and habitats of these amazing animals.
Characteristics of cervids
When learning about the characteristics that define the different types of cervids, it is interesting to distinguish between the characteristics related to their anatomies, such as those linked to their eating habits and behavior.
Anatomical features
In cervids, as in the rest of animals belonging to the order Artiodactyla, the extremities end in an even number of fingers in the form of pezuña, which rest on the ground to walk. In this way, they are considered hoofed animals. In addition, their legs are thin, as are their heads and necks, the trunk being thicker and heavier.
Another of the most outstanding characteristics of cervids is, without a doubt, the presence of antlers in adult individuals, preferably males. These are structures of hardened keratin with velvety coverings that arise as protuberances from the skull, but without being made of bone material. They thus differ from the bony antlers of bovids and other horned animals. In addition, the antlers are characterized by undergoing a moulting period, either annually or exclusively during youth, depending on the species of cervid.
Cervid behavior
Highlights the territorial behavior of male cervids, which tend to use their large antlers to duel with other males with the aim of mating with as many females as possible. During this mating period, the unique ability of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) to emit thunderous bawls stands out, emphasizing its presence and territoriality when calling the attention of females for mating.
Cervid feeding
Cervids follow a herbivorous diet, consuming all kinds of leaves, buds, flowers, twigs and grassland herbs.
The way in which deer consume vegetables is by browsing or grazing, with the subsequent digestion characteristic of ruminants.
The vast majority of deer species live in large herds, with which they move to make migrations when the seasons change with the aim of grazing in greener habitats and with more temperate temperatures.
Types of deer or deer, roe deer and elk
The taxonomic family Cervidae includes a large number of species that can be found in natural and artificial habitats (such as reserves and zoos), throughout the planet. From the majestic moose (Alces alces), the largest deer that can reach a wingspan of 3 metres, to the smallest deer, the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis). In this section we will see in more detail what are the different types of cervids that exist, which we can differentiate according to the taxonomic subfamily to which they belong:
Capreolins (Subfamily Capreolinae)
The capreoline subfamily includes any and all of those commonly known as " New World deer", such as the majestic moose and reindeer (or caribou), which live in herds, and the solitary roe deer Let's see in the following list the official taxonomic classification of capreolins, thus knowing both their common and scientific names.
Genus Moose
Eurasian moose (Alces alces)
Genus Capreolus
- Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
- Asian or Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus).
Genus Hippocamelus
- Andean deer, taruca or northern huemul (Hippocamelus antisensis).
- Andean deer or southern huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus).
Mazama Genre
- Corzuela colorada or guazú-pitá (Mazama americana).
- Small reddish roe deer (Mazama bororo).
- Candelillo or loach (Mazama bricenii).
- Brown Corzuela, guazuncho, viracho or guazú virá (Mazama gouazoubira).
- Pygmy deer (Mazama nana).
- Yuk (Mazama pandora).
- Páramo deer (Mazama rufina).
- Central American temazate (Mazama temama).
Genus Odocoileus
- Mule deer or mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
- White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
Genus Ozotoceros
- Pampas Deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus).
- Southern Pudú (Pudu puda).
Genus Rangifer
Reindeer or caribou (Rangifer tarandus)
Matterhorns (Subfamily Cervinae)
The Matterhorn subfamily is the second and largest subfamily of the 3 that make up the Cervidae family. Includes a total of 10 different genera and up to 26 species of deer or deer living today. Let's give these 26 species a name and surname, grouped by genus in the following list:
Axis Genre
- Axis deer or chital (Axis axis).
- Calamian deer or axis calamian (Axis calamianensis).
Genus Cervus
- Elk (Cervus canadensis).
- Red deer, red deer or deer (Cervus elaphus).
- Sicas deer (Cervus nippon).
Gender Lady
Fallow deer or European fallow deer (Dama dama)
Genus Elaphodus
Forelock or elaphod deer (Elaphodus cephalophus)
Genus Elaphurus
Father David's Deer (Elaphurus davidianus)
Genus Muntiacus
- Borneo yellow muntjac (Muntiacus atherodes).
- Black muntjac (Muntiacus crinifrons).
- Fea's Muntíaco (Muntiacus feae).
- Gongshan Muntiacus (Muntiacus gongshanensis).
- Indian muntjak (Muntiacus muntjak).
- Hukawng Muntiacus (Muntiacus putaoensis).
- Reeves's Muntiacus (Muntiacus reevesi).
- Truong Son Muntiacus (Muntiacus truongsonensis).
- Giant muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis).
Genus Przewalskium
Thorold's or white-nosed deer (Przewalskium albirostris)
Genus Rucervus
- Marsh deer (Rucervus duvaucelii).
- Eld or Tamin deer (Rucervus eldii).
Russian Gender
- Philippine spotted deer (Rusa alfredi).
- Timor deer (Rusa timorensis).
- Sambar (Russian plain).
Water Deer (Subfamily Hydropotinae)
The third and last subfamily of cervids is exclusively represented by the genus Hydropotes, being the deer Chinese aquatic (Hydropotes inermis) the only species in this subfamily. It is a type of deer that is smaller than its relatives, the capreolins and cervinos, since they barely reach 14 kg, compared to the heavy moose, deer and reindeer, whose adult males reach up to 600, 200 and 180kg, respectively.
Another anatomical characteristic that differentiates aquatic deer from other cervids is the lack of antlers, both in adult males and females. This curious fact could be directly related to the evolution of the different species of the Cervidae family, since the aquatic deer are the oldest species of the taxonomic family (from an evolutionary context), so that the appearance of branched antlers in the great majority of the rest of the cervid species could be interpreted as a later adaptation, due to an evolutionary strategy of the larger cervids that began to appear and diversify by numerous and various less forested habitats than the mountains of Central and East Asia, where their antlers were not a problem for them to move, but rather an aid to defend their new territories and even measure their strength during mating periods.
On the other hand, the geographical distribution of aquatic deer stands out, reduced to 4 countries in the world: they are autochthonous cervids from the mountains and rivers of China and Korea, as well as introduced species in England and France, having been become wild species in these two European countries.
Cervid distribution
Once you have seen the types of deer or deer, roe deer, reindeer and elk, where do they live? Cervids inhabit practically any region of the planet Depending on the subfamily to which they belong and given their biological evolution, cervid species find their natural habitats on the European continent or in Asia, in America and even in North Africa. However, the presence of cervids in Australia and New Zealand is due to the introduction that humans have made of some species of cervids in Oceania.
When indicating the specific geographical distribution of a deer species, it is easier to resort to habitat types instead of differentiating between continents, since, due to the movements of the tectonic plates of the Earth and the similarities in environmental characteristics, many species are distributed in Europe as well as in Asia and America, such as reindeer, whose distribution ranges from Siberia to North America, passing through Europe.
